Applications to Colgate increase

Applications to Colgate increased 7 percent compared to last year, with 8,346 students seeking admittance to the Class of 2017, according to the Office of Admission.

Significant increases from international students, particularly from China, and from states that admission counselors have been specifically targeting, helped fuel new growth while numbers in the Northeast remained steady. International applications increased by 24 percent over last year.

Internationally, Colgate Office of Admission representatives traveled for a combined total of 15 weeks to 37 countries, hitting nearly every major continent. Domestically, representatives traveled to 35 states and visited 865 high schools.

“The growth of Colgate’s application pool among students with demonstrated levels of very high academic ability, combined with the very significant increases in geographical diversity, speak well to the reputation Colgate has earned throughout the United States and throughout the world,” said Gary Ross, dean of admission.

Increases in applications from Texas (39 percent), Florida (23 percent), and California (20 percent) led domestic growth. California is now third among all states, behind only New York and New Jersey, as the largest source of applications.

“It’s an exciting opportunity, and this completely mirrors the demographic trends nationally which we have been watching for years,” said Karen Giannino, senior associate dean of admission. “The number of students in the South and Southwest continue to tick upward, and that’s part of the reason we’ve focused new efforts in those regions, without sacrificing outreach in the Northeast.”

Early Decision applications in December were 16.5 percent higher than the previous year, thanks to more interest from students across ethnicities and regions, including a wider range of applicants from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.

Like the Early Decision applications, Giannino said students seeking admittance to the Class of 2017 are, on average, academically stronger than in years past, with higher GPAs and stronger standardized test scores.

Of the $480 million raised in the recent Passion for the Climb campaign, $132 million is earmarked for financial aid endowment. As a result, more high-achieving applicants will be eligible to receive financial aid than ever before.

Students that have applied for regular decision may still convert their applications to ED II by filling out an Early Decision Agreement prior to March 1.